Spring is in the air and the Opening Day for Major League Baseball is scooching closer and closer. It’s almost time for America’s baseball parks to open their doors and start slinging hot dogs once again. But baseball season is about more than just hot dogs; there’s also beer, burgers, pizza, wings. It can be difficult to stand out among the crowd (and choices) when it comes to where baseball lovers choose to spend their dollars.
If you’re a first-time vendor or you’re looking to add more seating to your restaurant stand’s space, we’ve come up with a guide for things you should consider when selecting your furniture. Even if you’re not a stadium stand restaurant, these criteria can still apply when selecting outdoor furniture for a park, playground, or any outdoor area.
It’s a Beautiful Day for Baseball… Sometimes…
The weather can have a huge effect on your stand (hello, rain delays) but that doesn’t mean you can’t be ready for it. Scope out your space, are you covered? Are you out in the open? Where does the sun hit during game time? These are all factors to be noted when you’re choosing what furniture will work the best for your location. Chances are though, your stand is going to be exposed to the elements. After all, most food stands are open air in stadium environments. You’re going to want to be sure your furniture is either rust resistant aluminum or powder coated steel for protection against heavy moisture. Be sure to also consider how hot the material of your furniture can get in direct sunlight. You don’t want customers sitting down to eat a quick snack and spill their food because the seat was too hot! Aluminum furniture is a great option here with its reflective surface and the ability to adapt its temperature to who’s sitting on it within 15 seconds.
Make Maintenance a Home Run
Game days are busy, hectic, and you aren’t going to have a lot of staff to spare. Choosing the correct furniture can shorten the time that you or your staff spends on daily upkeep of your space. The right table isn’t going to clean itself but there are ones that can make it easier! High density laminated tables are a great asset to have in a stadium-like environment because of their fierce durability. Tables like this are often scratch/UV resistant and pre-stressed to avoid warping in the sun. For low maintenance seating, find chairs that can stack. Stadium stands aren’t often blessed with a lot of storage space but if you can find stackable chairs they can be easy to tuck behind your counter.
It’s Game Time for Your Team Spirit
With so many choices around your stand, it’s important for you to differentiate your restaurant from others around you. One way to accomplish that is your theming. If your restaurant is a franchise, theming may be out of your hands. In this case, try and find furniture that looks like it’s on the same playing field as those in your original restaurant. By using similar furniture, you can tie the stand restaurant to its larger franchise. If you have more wiggle room with the furniture you can pick out, try and integrate the team’s colors into the furniture. Poly lumber tables can offer a great medium for doing this because they are so low maintenance and come in a wide variety of color options.
Selecting furniture for your stadium restaurant may not be the most glamorous task that you do but it is necessary to find quality pieces that are durable, easy to maintain, and represent your brand. Be sure to study your vendor agreement before making any purchase decisions, each club’s organization runs themselves a little differently. If you have any questions on the furniture items above or finding other budget-friendly outdoor furniture, please call us at 800-986-5352. We’d be happy to help you customize your space!
